Although a simple slip and fall in a store or establishment may initially seem minor, these accidents can result in serious injuries like fractures or concussions. Some Alexandria slip and fall cases involve falling from great heights, which can cause catastrophic injuries or even death.
If you or a loved one slipped and fell on someone else’s property in Alexandria, Louisiana, you may have grounds to pursue compensation from them.
At Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers, we offer a free consultation to learn how a personal injury attorney can help you build your slip and fall accident case.
Owners May Be Held Responsible for Injuries that Happen On Their Premises
To hold an Alexandria property owner liable for injuries that occurred on their premises, you as a plaintiff may need to prove:
- The property owner knew or should have known of the dangerous condition
- The property owner failed to remedy or warn others of the hazards present on the premises
- You had no reason to know of the condition and suffered harm as a result
A lawyer from our firm serving Alexandria can investigate your slip and fall accident, seeking evidence of the property owner’s negligence. We can then present your case to the insurance company or a jury on your behalf.
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Merchants’ Liability in Slip and Fall Legal Actions
The Louisiana state legislature enacted a specific statute related to certain property owners’ liability for slip and fall accidents. Under RS 9:2800.6, slip and fall victims seeking a financial recovery must generally prove that:
- The cause of the slip and fall accident created an unreasonable risk of foreseeable harm.
- The merchant created or had actual or constructive notice of the condition before the accident occurred.
- The merchant did not exercise reasonable care in dealing with the cause of the slip and fall.
Failing to clean up or fulfill safety procedures alone may not be sufficient evidence that a business owner failed to exercise reasonable care.
For example, if someone broke a wine bottle in a grocery store, and you slipped in the mess before the store could respond to the accident, then the store could argue that their employees would have cleaned up the mess had they known about the hazard in time.
Each case is unique, however. Do not make any assumptions about your case until you speak with an attorney from our firm.
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What Is Considered ‘Constructive Notice?’
Constructive notice, as defined by state law, means that the cause of the slip and fall accident existed for long enough that the property owner or manager in question would have found it if they were exercising reasonable care.
This rule generally applies to all individuals whose business is to sell goods or merchandise at a fixed place of business, including stores, restaurants, and lobby areas of hotels, motels, or inns.
However, if a property owner or manager was at or near the hazard, this does not necessarily mean that they should have known of the hazardous condition.
Establishing that the owner or manager had constructive notice involves showing clear instances where they knew of the hazard yet actively decided not to address them.
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Should I Hire an Attorney for a Slip and Fall Accident Case In Alexandria?
We generally advise that slip and fall accident victims consult an attorney. There is no risk in speaking with our firm. We’ll answer your questions, explain the services we provide, and explain the possible benefits of hiring our firm.
You should understand the risks of handling a personal injury case without a lawyer. If you do not hire an attorney to lead your case in Alexandria, you may:
- Miss non-negotiable deadlines:Your slip and fall case may involve deadlines that you must not miss. The statute of limitations for filing your case is a key example. If you are not aware of this deadline or fail to organize your case by the deadline, you may forfeit your right to pursue compensation. Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers is acutely aware of personal injury filing deadlines, and we’ll do everything in our power to file your case on time to meet relevant deadlines.
- Lose your case:It’s not a given that you’ll win a slip and fall accident case. It’s in your interests to put forth the strongest case you possibly can. Having an attorney’s experience and resources on your side may help you present the strongest case that you can.
- Place your health at risk:Do you truly understand what it takes to win a slip and fall accident case in Alexandria? We put significant effort into every case we handle—because we have a dedicated team handling various responsibilities for our clients. If you’re handling your case on your own, you may become physically and psychologically overwhelmed by the amount of responsibility required.
- Spend money that you can’t get back:Slip and fall injury cases have costs. Our firm can handle those costs for you. Without an attorney representing you, you may need to pay these expenses, and you may not get them back if you don’t win your case.
Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers eliminates these worries for our clients. You will pay no out-of-pocket fee or costs when hiring our Alexandria slip and fall injury team. If we win, we will get a percentage of your recovery. If we don’t win, you’ll pay us nothing.
Our firm’s Alexandria slip and fall injury lawyer can take on every duty of your case. With our team handling your premises liability case, you can focus your time and effort on your recovery and other matters.
Is Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers the Right Firm for My Alexandria Slip and Fall Injury Case?
You must decide which law firm is right for you. You might consider why some clients choose Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers to lead their cases, including:
- Our firm’s testimonials:You may look at our testimonials, learn how we have helped other clients, and decide you want the same type of legal representation.
- Our client service:You’ll feel like family as a client of Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers.
- Our resources:We have recovered more than $200 million for our clients. These victories have placed us in a position to support every client’s case financially, whether it means hiring experts, funding exhibits and tests, or taking any other step to improve the quality of the case.
We are a Louisiana-based firm that has deep ties to Alexandria. You’ll see how much we care by the way we handle your slip and fall accident case.
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Awards You Could Receive in an Alexandria Slip and Fall Case
A slip and fall injury lawyer from Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers wants to take on your case and help you seek compensation for your losses. Your case may produce financial coverage for:
Medical Expenses
We can seek compensation to cover current and future medical expenses related to your slip and fall injury. Your medical costs may include:
- Emergency room care
- Ambulance or helicopter transport
- Hospitalization
- Surgery
- Prescription medications
- Medical devices, such as a wheelchair or neck brace
- In-home care costs
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Mileage reimbursement for doctor’s appointments
Please keep a record of all your medical bills resulting from the accident. These records may be useful as we fight for fair compensation.
If your injuries may require future medical treatment beyond your case’s settlement, we can consult a medical expert who can testify how much treatment you might need and how much that treatment may cost.
Lost Income
If you had to miss work because of your injury, we can also seek compensation for your lost wages. Other job-related losses we can seek reimbursement for include:
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Lost benefits
- Lost retirement contributions
- Lost professional opportunities
- Lost pensions
We may consult a vocational rehabilitation expert to provide testimony on your ability to reenter the workforce after your recovery (if possible) and whether that involves a cut to your salary. We’ll seek coverage for any such loss in your earning ability.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are physical, mental, and emotional losses you suffer because of your slip and fall accident in Alexandria. These damages may include:
- Pain and suffering, and inconvenience
- Mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of former hobbies and activities
- Disfigurement, including scarring and burns
- Disability, including vision or hearing loss
- Loss of consortium
- Psychological trauma
While we cannot give you an accurate estimate of what you can recover right now, we can tell you what you may be entitled to collect after reviewing your case.
Wrongful Death Damages
Unfortunately, not every fall victim survives their accident, which can cause emotional and financial turmoil for their surviving loved ones. We understand this may be a hectic and deeply painful time for you and your family if you are grieving a lost loved one.
However, Louisiana’s legal system does not allow much time for families to pursue a wrongful death claim. With a general one-year filing period set by CC Art. 2315.2, families often have to grieve and seek justice at the same time. Our legal team is here to help you pursue damages related to your loved one’s death, which may include:
- Funeral expenses, including costs for burial or cremation services
- Loss of parental guidance for surviving children
- Loss of companionship and consortium for surviving spouses
- Other emotional losses, such as losing love, affection, and support from your loved one
- Loss of financial support if your loved one worked to support the family unit
- Loss of inheritance
Our team can pursue the damages you’re owed no matter where your fall-down accident occurred. For instance, if you slipped and fell on a boat that was being driven by a negligent individual, our boat accident lawyers located in Alexandria can pursue compensation for your medical bills, lost wages and other challenges.
Comparative Negligence in Alexandria Slip and Fall Cases
According to CC Art. 2323, a victim’s fault affects the amount of compensation they may recover in slip and fall accident cases. If you were partially at fault for causing the accident that led to injuries, you may still recover damages from other responsible parties.
However, if you are found partially negligent, your compensation award may be decreased by an amount equal to your percentage of fault. For example, if the jury determines that you are 10 percent at fault for the accident, the defendant would only be liable for 90 percent of your damages.
An Alexandria slip and fall injury lawyer from Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers can clarify how much in damages you deserve.
How Long You Have to File Your Alexandria Slip and Fall Injury Case
You generally have one year following your slip and fall accident to file a lawsuit against the negligent property owner in Louisiana, according to CC Art. 3492. If you fail to submit your case within this timeframe, the court may dismiss your case and bar you from pursuing compensation through litigation, putting you at a disadvantage if you are trying to negotiate a settlement with the liable party.
There are exceptions to this statute of limitations. Contact our firm even if it has been more than one year since your slip and fall accident in Alexandria.
A slip and fall lawyer serving Alexandria from our team can take on your case and ensure we file it on time, circumstances permitting. We will ensure your rights to compensation stay intact.
Call Now to Hire an Alexandria Slip and Fall Injury Attorney Today
Since you generally have a limited amount of time to pursue a personal injury claim, you should not hesitate to our team following your slip and fall accident. To get started on your case, call the legal team at Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers today for your free consultation.
Get The HelpYou Need(318) 777-7777To Schedule a FREE CONSULTATION
24 hours a day • 7 days a week
